Improvement in tanning



dinitd I tater that dffim.

'W ILLIAMi c. STONE, on DERBY LINE, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND WILLIAM FOSTER.

Letters Patent No; 111,583, dated February 7, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN TANNING.

The Schedule referred tojn these Letters Patent and. making part of the same.

have invented a new and useful Improvement in 'lanning; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same.

, This invention relates to improvements in tanning hides and skins, and consists in the following-process and modifications thereof. I

The skins to be tanned (the hair, fur, or wool having been removed by the ordinary process,) are soaked from twelve to thirty-six hours, according to size and weight, (light skins, like sheep, twelve hours; heavy, like beef-hides, thirty-six,) in a solution which I designate No. 1, consisting of one pound sal soda, one 'quart soft soap, and ten gallons water, suilicient being madeiu this proportion to cover the skins.

Then the skins are removed and fleshed in the ordinary way, and washed in a solution, No. 2, con sisting of sal soda, one pound; soft soap, one pint; and water, one gallon; after which they are put in a rat to lie twentybur hours, or thereabout, in a solution, No. 3, of water to which has been added one pound alum, one pound salt, one pound sulphuric acid, undone ounce sal soda to each four gallons. n being removed from this vat they arehuug up ,and finished in the ordinary manner with a tflcsh heam and knife.

Y Skins to be tanned with the hair, fur, or wool on, are proceeded with in the same manner, with the exception of the bath of tanning-liquor No. 3, instead of liwhich they are spread on a bench or table flesh-side up, and the tanning-liquor No. 3, mixed in the proportion of one gallon water to the other parts, spread on" with a brush or sponge, after which they are finished, as above. V

In the case of skins to be colored and tanned with the -hair,'fur, or wool on, I proceed, as before, with the solutions Nos. 1 and 2 and the fieshing process; then, after washing them, they are dipped in vats of hot dye, say 98 to 110 Fahrenheit, until the requisite shade is obtained. They are then suffered to drain five minutes; then washed in cold water thoroughly; then spread on a table or bench and the tanning-liquor No. 3 (one gallon water to the other parts) spread on the flesh-side with a brush -or sponge.

They are then hung up to dry and finished as in the first instance.

Thesolutions Nos. 1 and 2 are only used to soften theskins and free them from dirt, grease, &c.-

The tanning is effected by the preparation No. 3', which accomplishes the work perfectly in very short time-as short as by any process known to meleaving the leather soft, pliable, and strong, and perfoot] y white.

In the case of tanning pelts with the wool on, it also bleaches the wool toa pure white.

Having thus described my invention,

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The improved tanning process, both as-applied to the tanning of skins with the hair, for, or wool on or removed, substantially as herein specified.

WILLIAM G. STONE.

\Vitnesses .N. T SHEAEE,

H. G. Bunnoc-n. 

